Kent funeral home to recycle pacemakers

Abbey Funeral Services in Kent have pioneered a scheme to send pacemakers removed from the deceased to third world countries.

The funeral home’s director, Jo Parker came up with idea having seen that current pacemakers, regardless of condition are either destroyed or stockpiled. However her idea means any with 70 per cent battery life could be reused so that countries such as Pakistan and Ghana can benefit from them.

Parker has partnered with Pace4Life founder Balasundaram Lavan to find a way to sterilise the equipment which could then go for a fraction of the price of a new one, a cost much more achievable by charities.

Roughly 100 funeral directors in the UK have signed up and it’s expected to officially launch next year in the US with hopes that it will expand to the UK. 

Image: Steven Fruitsmaak